Sunday, 17 December 2006

The recent solar storm still disturbs the ionosphere but I keep trying DXing Fax stations. Maybe I should rename the blog into HF-Fax-something ! My recent addition is Halifax, which sometimes interferes with E10 numbers station. What defines interference? When listening to PCD on 4270 kHz, Halifax is interference, while when DXing for Halifax, the strong carrier from E10 is interference! Most of my fellow numbers stations fans will probably adopt the first point of view!

Back to subject now: 4271 kHz (among others) is the Halifax HF-Fax service and in between Fax transmissions are RTTY transmissions. More info can be found in the Canadian Coast Guard Internet Site. And here is the image:

4271 kHz 0100z

Not a stunning image but a nice addition to my collection! As the conditions improve, I hope for better ones! By the way, I was browsing old Fax pictures of mine from 2001-2002, when I started playing with shortwave. Compared to nowadays reception quality, then conditions were amazing! Later I may show you later a sample from those images. Then Japan HF-Fax was easy and clear, today is hard (for me at least). Alas, the effect of solar cycle minimum...

As you know I'm fairly new to shortwave (hihi I guess SWLs should count their time in hobby in solar cycles than years!!!) and I enjoy the hobby whenever I can. These days I'm stuck with E25 but as winter approaches, I hope to get back to Fax hunting!!!

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The Shack

This is my main listening post. Nowadays, I mostly use my new Icom R75 (a magnificent receiver), which is fed by the PAR Electronics EF-SWL antenna. The famous Sangean ATS 909 is still my faithful companion, attached to a simple Inverted-L 5m by 14m made from junk parts, plus a matching transformer, which magically cuts PC noise, allowing the use of software decoders!